Stem Cell Treatment for Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes is a high prevalence chronic-degenerative disease worldwide. Despite countless studies, it is still not fully known why the immune system destroys beta cells in type 1 diabetes, or how to control the insulin-producing cells in type 2 diabetes.

One treatment that sheds a light of hope for diabetes, is stem cell therapy. In patients with type 1 diabetes it helps replace the beta cells lost by the disease, while in patients with type 2 diabetes it increases the ability to produce insulin, lower blood sugar levels and eliminate the need to inject insulin.

If you are wondering if stem cell therapy effective for diabetes, keep on reading because we will solve all your questions below. Let´s Start!

How can stem cells be used to treat diabetes?

A balanced diet and exercise are very important for diabetes control. However, a strict dietary program is not enough in order to treat diabetes mellitus.

For decades, controlling blood glucose through medications and insulin injections has been the only treatment for this disease. However, after arduous research, stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus has been shown to be successful in regenerating cells and organs.

Stem cells are cells that have not yet specialized in a specific cell function or tissue or body organ, therefore, they have the ability to take the form of the cells around their engraftment. This means that a stem cell transplant will allow those cells to transform anywhere in the body where they are implanted, so that they can attach and regenerate damaged tissue. In the case of patients with diabetes, stem cells could be used to regrow a damaged pancreas and promote healing within the body.

Stem cell therapy is still being researched and this treatment could be a long-term solution, rather than thinking of it as a cure that will work overnight. It is important to coordinate your treatment with your regular doctor to make sure your health is monitored.

If you are interested in this revolutionary treatment, or wondering What type of diabetes can be treated with stem cells? Consult a specialist such as the ones we have at ProgenCell to assess your case and make sure you receive the proper treatment.

What is diabetes mellitus?

Insulin is a hormone that facilitates glucose absorption from the blood. Once absorbed, this glucose can be used to provide energy to the body. In people with diabetes, this absorption does not occur. The result is a person who cannot regulate their own blood glucose.

Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the body does not produce its own insulin or does not respond to the insulin that is being produced. This often happens because the patient’s pancreas, the organ responsible for creating insulin, does not function properly.

When glucose remains in the blood instead of being absorbed by the body, it can lead to vascular and nerve problems. These complications can be serious and if left untreated, could be life-threatening.

There are two types of diabetes mellitus, we will explain both and tell you how stem cell therapy can help in each case:

Stem cells to treat type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas does not produce insulin. This hormone helps glucose penetrate the cells to provide them with the energy needed in order to function. In the absence of insulin, the patient has an excess of glucose in the blood, causing serious ailments in the kidneys, eyes, heart, gums, teeth and nerves.

This disease affects mostly children and young adults, but can occur at any age and persists throughout life. Patients with type 1 diabetes require insulin to be injected every day, as they do not produce it, and can have serious medical complications if they do not maintain strict control.

It is estimated that 10% of diabetes cases are due to type 1 diabetes. The reason why patients do not produce insulin is still unknown, and instead, the immune system produces antibodies that mistakenly destroy beta cells, which produce insulin in the pancreas.

Mesenchymal stem cell transplants have the ability to differentiate, self-renew, repair tissues, stop cell destruction by the immune system, and regenerate damaged beta cells. Therefore, the new beta cells will help normalize their function by producing insulin to control blood glucose levels. The main outcome is better glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Stem cell treatment for type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease, which affects the way glucose is metabolized in the body. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and transports glucose to the cells so it can be used as energy, also reduces the amount of sugar circulating in the bloodstream to keep it at normal levels and use excess sugar as an energy source. As blood glucose decreases, the pancreas also decreases the insulin production and release.

People with type 2 diabetes usually have insulin resistance first, meaning their body resists the effects of insulin by increasing blood sugar levels. In this type of diabetes, the pancreas beta cells function (responsible for the insulin production) begins to fail and send an inadequate amount of insulin at the wrong time. Over time, the beta cells become depleted and stop producing this hormone.

In addition to the pancreas, the liver is another organ that is responsible for sending sugar into the bloodstream, and when there is a lack of glucose, the body uses glucose from food, or sends energy from the fat storage in order to feed the cells. However, in type 2 diabetes this system does not work adequately, and the liver can continue to send glucose into the bloodstream even if levels are elevated, causing a condition called hyperglycemia.

Many patients with type 2 diabetes suffer from other conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, arthritis, circulatory problems, among others that cause cardiac, ophthalmological or cerebral damage, skin ulcers, healing difficulties (which can cause infectious wounds and lead to amputations), kidney failure, myocardial infarction risk, among other severe conditions.

Treatment for type 2 diabetes with mesenchymal stem cells has proven to be very effective because these cells have the ability to differentiate into insulin-producing cells, regenerate and protect the pancreas beta cells, convert alpha cells into beta cells, repair tissues, suppress the immune system, reduce inflammation and reduce insulin resistance.

What are the symptoms of diabetes mellitus?

• Excessive thirst
• Increased urine output
• Increased feelings of hunger
• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
• Sores that take time to heal
• Dry skin with burning sensation
• Tingling, pain or numbness in the feet
• Blurred vision
• Frequent infections and slow healing
• Dizziness
• Erection problems in men
• Menstrual irregularities in women not in menopause age.

What causes diabetes mellitus?

Type 1 Diabetes Causes

Type 1 diabetes usually appears during childhood or adolescence as a result of genetic and environmental factors, such as viruses that can trigger the disease and cause the immune system to fight insulin-producing cells.

Type 2 Diabetes Causes

• Overweight and obesity, especially abdominal fat.
• Inadequate eating habits, such as consuming way too much sugar in the form of soft drinks, candies, white bread, among other high glycemic index foods.
• Lack of exercise and sedentary lifestyle, since more calories are ingested than are used as energy through physical activity.
• Hyperlipidemia, i.e. increased levels of blood cholesterol.
• Associated genetic factor, as people with relatives with diabetes are more likely to develop the disease.

What are the treatments for diabetes mellitus?

Unfortunately, type 1 diabetes has no cure and treatment focuses on controlling sugar levels through insulin injections, strict eating habits and exercise to prevent possible complications.

Type 2 diabetes has a multidisciplinary treatment, since drugs for blood glucose control are recommended such as metformin or insulin releasing agents among others that must be prescribed and monitored by a professional in order to avoid possible side effects. It is also important to follow a correct diet, limit the amount of carbohydrates, avoid high glycemic index foods and exercise.

In cases where diet, exercise, and diabetes control drugs are not enough for blood glucose control, patients with type 2 diabetes have to inject insulin.

Stem cell therapy has emerged as a hopeful alternative to improve people´s life quality with diabetes, allowing them to regenerate their cells, to stop insulin injections and leave dependence on injectable insulin, in addition to prolonging their life expectancy and improving other associated conditions, such as damage to tissues and organs such as the skin.

Although stem cells can be obtained from different sources, such as: bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, adipose tissue and even teeth, we prefer to use fresh, autologous bone marrow; as it contains many stimulating factors and growth factors. As research studies advance and more beneficial qualities for regenerating and repairing tissue are discovered, we are becoming more and more convinced of its potential for anti-aging, prevention and for treating a wide variety of degenerative conditions. That is why we want to bring the benefits of stem cells to all those patients with a medical condition, even when traditional treatments have had little or no results.

Schedule your appointment on ProgenCell and start changing your life.

Preventive measures against diabetes mellitus

Maintaining a healthy weight is the first step if you have a sibling, parent or grandparent who has suffered from type 2 diabetes, following a correct diet and practicing some physical activity at least for 40 minutes 3 times a week. Women who had gestational diabetes (a type 2 type diabetes that develops during pregnancy due to hormonal factors, and subsides on its own after childbirth) are more likely to develop the disease later on, so they should stay under weight control and a healthy diet.

Stem cells do not work alone; they need other factors to be in place to really obtain the maximum benefit of this therapy. The best way to avoid diabetes is to make lifestyle changes that can be followed in the long term: healthy eating habits, choose medium to low glycemic foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains), exercise often, could be walking, dancing, running, swimming etc., drink more water and less sugary drinks and have a routine medical check-up and a correct body composition follow up.